Radiators are key to a warm home and even more key to lower bills, but there is much to learn about what makes them effective and efficient.
Top 5 things you need to know about radiators
- Bigger, cooler, cheaper – Bigger radiators allow cooler water to keep the same room warm. Cooler water is cheaper and greener.
- Underfloor is best – The higher surface area (of your whole floor), results in lower temperatures and is well matched to heat pumps.
- Convection currents – Hot air rises, (which is why hot rooms cause that that oppressive stuffy-head feeling). See diagram above for details.
- Designer drawbacks – They may look the part, but designer radiators are often lower in power. Get in touch for help to source alternatives.
- Pipes – Radiators are only as good as the pipes that feed them. Small pipes are inefficient and should be banned! Replace whenever you can.
Top 5 things you can do today to improve radiator efficiency
- Bleed – Air bubbles gather in radiators over time. Find out how to bleed them here: tinyurl.com/msbjn33m
- Uncover – Radiator covers reduce performance by as much as 25%. Remove them for a warmer room and lower bills.
- Breathe – Leave a gap between furniture to help the convection process and improve output.
- Flush – Rust build-up inside radiators causes cold spots and hampers efficiency. Restore with professional flushing.
- Filter – Fit a magnetic filter to prevent rust building up in the future. I recommend tinyurl.com/3ts657mz